There are reports out of Toronto of multiple deaths and numerous injuries after a man driving a van ran down pedestrians on a sidewalk:
Breaking: #Toronto incident appears deliberate -law enforcement official briefed on the situation tells @ShimonPro
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) April 23, 2018
Former NYC Police commissioner Bill Bratton states on @MSNBC his sources in Canada say van driver in #Toronto was known to Police and now consider incident a terrorist attack. Motivation and affiliation unknown.
— Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) April 23, 2018
#BREAKING: Toronto Police confirm 9 people have been killed after a van ploughed into pedestrians. 16 other people have been injured.
BACKGROUND: https://t.co/rHGZYaNNua pic.twitter.com/6Z32Tp2lH1
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) April 23, 2018
The suspect is shown in the video pointing an object at an officer and yelling before later being taken into custody:
After multiple pedestrians plowed down on Toronto sidewalk, driver gets out holding what appears to be a gun. Police arrest him. No shots fired. pic.twitter.com/xWHeylS1d8
— Michel Boyer (@BoyerMichel) April 23, 2018
JUST IN: CTV video appears to show armed standoff near Toronto van strike scene https://t.co/LLweX4F5SF
— Meg Wagner (@megwagner) April 23, 2018
The man was subsequently taken into custody:
UPDATE: Driver of van that struck 8 to 10 people in Toronto has been found and is in custody, Canadian authorities say https://t.co/hjkpLTw5iS pic.twitter.com/jaXBKVHE30
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 23, 2018
From many accounts the suspect was attempting to get shot by police:
what's he saying at the :18 mark?
— Nick Short (@PoliticalShort) April 23, 2018
"I have a gun in my pocket! I have a gun in my pocket!" "Get down, or you'll get shot." https://t.co/s3BOuN0zg9
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) April 23, 2018
Suspect also says, "shoot me in the head." https://t.co/s3BOuN0zg9
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) April 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/EmmMacfarlane/status/988495776367116289
Looks like the suspect was trying to get shot. https://t.co/Cjdeb8xly3
— Stephen Maher (@stphnmaher) April 23, 2018
Wow, not sure I would have given him that many opportunities to comply. Looks like he was seeking #suicidebycop https://t.co/yYeRIgBSmo
— Bill McKinnon (@bmckinnonatcupe) April 23, 2018
Watching the people in the background walking by like no bighttps://t.co/7hRIH7CZTf
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) April 23, 2018
Meanwhile it’s being reported that additional counterterrorism officers have been deployed as a precautionary measure in New York City.
Update:
The suspect has reportedly been identified as Alek Minassian:
Sources confirm Alek Minassian is the suspect in custody for the Yonge St van attack this afternoon. More to come.
— Tracy Tong (@TracyTongCTV) April 23, 2018
#BREAKING Several U.S. law enforcement officials, from different agencies, say the man arrested and accused of running down pedestrians in #Toronto is Alek Minassian, age 25. Born November 3, 1992. @NBCPhiladelphia
— Richard Washington (@RichardNBC10) April 23, 2018
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